Pretty Nightshade
by altum-spatium
Summary: A favor, he said. Stoick wanted a favor from his only son. To take the mysterious daughter of an old friend with them to Dragon's Edge, and train her to be a dragon rider, to be one of them. Rotti Ice-Veins is going to have her whole life changed. Whether it's for the better or worse, she's not quite sure... Race to the Edge fanfic, Tuffnut/OC, minor Hiccstrid.
1. Ice on the Edge

Stoick The Vast met with a lone ship on a dark, cloudy night. No one accompanied him to the docks, and it appeared that no one was on the boat. It was long, made of dark wood with richly detailed, bright red carvings. A great wall of a man rose from below the deck of the small vessel, toting with him a much smaller figure. They silently stepped off onto the docks, thickly furred cloaks obscurring their faces.

"Stoick, is lovely to see ye again." The man said in a thick accent, greeting him with a small bow.

"Likewise, Ice-veins. But we aren't here for pleasantries. You said you'd explain everything right here, right now. Why so sneaky, old friend?" Stoick crossed his arms, making note of the woman standing beside him, dwarfed by Ice-Vein's height.

"I want ye to train her," he gently pushed the woman in front of him, "to be a dragon rider. The chief has even agreed to pay you in gold and well-oiled leather." Stoick rose a brow at that, why would they have to meet in secrecy for this? He had never met the chief of Ice-Veins clan, but he couldn't fathom why he was trying to pawn off one of his youth.

"Why do you think I would need to be paid? Our allies are always welcome to send their youth to learn how to ride a dragon." He stroked his beard thoughtfully, noting the girl had not uttered a word. Ice-Veins pulled down his hood, his long, matted auburn hair framing a strong jaw and weathered skin. A deep sadness was settled into his blue eyes, his mouth set into a thin line.

"Because he doesn't want her coming back." His voice nearly broke, but stayed strong and deep. Stoick gave him a confused look, switching between his friend and the girl. "Please, Stoick, she's expressed interest in riding dragons ever since you, our allies, learned to tame the beasts. This is all we could think of...If I go back with her, things won't end well."

"And just why is that? And who is she? I won't have danger coming into my village, not even for you, old friend." Ice-Veins sighed, motioning for the girl to lower her hood.

She was short, standing probably a half-a-head shorter than his son, with olive skin, shaggy copper hair and pale blue eyes. Purple war paint decorated her face, but even under that you could tell she was Ice-Veins flesh and blood. "I swear, she's not a danger to anyone, but I'm not who I used to be, Stoick. Not since the new chief took over years ago..." he sighed with melancholy, staring his friend square in the eyes. "Please, she's all I have, and I have nowhere else to take her where she'll be safe...I'm begging you, old friend."

Stoick stared at him, before turning his gaze to the young woman. No older than 20, he surmised. He stared deep into her eyes, her cold gaze as unrelenting as her fathers, yet he saw no malice in that cold glare. He sighed, nodding and clasping his friends shoulder.

"No need for payment, we have all we need here. I'll leave you two alone for a minute, say your goodbyes." Ice-Veins thanked him as he walked towards the steps that lead up to the island, before turning to his daughter.

"Now Rotti, you're a woman now and, and you've got to go on your own now," He sniffled, pulling his daughter into an embrace. "You're mother is going to be so proud of you and who you're going to become, as am I."

She returned the embrace, inhaling the deep scent of leather, iron, and fur. "I know, father."

With one last, tearful farewell, Rotti Ice-Veins joined Stoick in watching the little boat leave. They walked up to the island in silence, Rotti thinking of home and Stoick thinking of the only other time he had seen her. He shook the bad memory from his head, instead giving Rotti a quiet tour of his home.

"I would introduce you to my son but he and the other dragon riders live away at the moment. None of the riders here are equipped to be trainers, though, and I'll have them called back to discuss whether one will stay here to train you, or whether you will go stay with them on the edge." Stoick half-lied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. The village where she was from, he knew there were very few people her age, and maybe staying on the edge with his son and his friends would be good for her. There was another reason, but he chose not to dwell on it.

He pushed open the door to a small guest room, sparsely furnished save for a chair, a small table, and a bed made of stretched leather and furs.

"Make yourself at home, you're probably tired and frankly, so am I." He smiled at the girl, who gave him a nervous half-smile in return. Bah, he wasn't good with young people. He dropped a few logs into the small fireplace, calling a terrible terror over to light it. She stared at the small dragon in complete fascination, reaching out to touch it before getting a nip on the fingers.

"Ack! What a foul little beast..." She grumbled, sticking her bloody fingers in her mouth. Stoick quickly shooed the dragon out of the house, before apologizing.

"Sorry, the terrors are a little bit temperamental with new people. I'll get you a bandage." She waved him off, shedding her cloak.

"It's fine, sir. You've done enough for me already, and I thank ye for that." She bowed slightly to him, and he bid a quick goodnight before leaving her to her own devices.

She sighed, shedding the rest of her clothes. The dragon scale armor on her left shoulder, the wolf skull on her right, and the thick leather wrappings around her torso. When all that was left was her soft linens, she dipped a worn rag into a small water bowl on the table, wiping off the purple war paint on her face. All that was left now was her, no armor or warpaint to hide under. Climbing into the thick furs of the bed, she stared longingly at the fire, mind traveling to better times in a better place. She put her head in her hands and cried, and cried, and cried until there were no more tears. She felt smaller, lighter, and less of a burden. Curling up under the furs, she fell asleep.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning on their new outpost, Dragons Edge. The night terrors were sleeping in their roosts, the twins were scheming instead of causing chaos, and Snotlout was still asleep. Hiccup looked up from his diagrams as a messenger dragon perched on the railing outside of his hut. He cocked a brow, walking over and unfurling the note attached to it's leg.

 _Son, I need you and the riders to come back to Berk. There's no emergency, but I've been asked a favor by an old and dear friend. There's someone I'd like you to meet._

 _See you soon,_

 _Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk_

Hiccup folded the note up, wondering who could be so important that they're all being called back to the island. He shook his head, figuring he might as well find out sooner or later. He sighed, calling everyone together.

"What gives man? I was getting' my beauty sleep!" Snotlout whined, rubbing his eyes and earning an elbow in the side from Astrid

"Hiccup probably has something important to tell us." Astrid declared, to which Hiccup gave an "eh" look and a shrug.

"Ooh! Did you get anything new out of the dragon eye?" Fishlegs asked excitedly.

"No, no. It doesn't have anything to do with the dragon eye. I just got a letter from my dad, he says he wants all of us back on Berk."

"What, why!? I was just about to mount Ser Boaris's head on the wall of the hut!" Ruffnut protested, earning a nod from her brother.

"Ah, noble Ser Boaris, he was as voracious as he was old. May he carry on in Valhalla" Tuffnut clasped a hand on his sisters shoulder, eyes closed in respect for the boar.

"Look he didn't put that much detail in the letter. Only that he wants us to meet someone. If we leave now we can be back by tonight. Now everyone saddle up, no ifs ands or buts about it." Hiccup had taken some time to settle in as the de-facto leader of the group, and they didn't necessarily have to leave so soon but he was just itching to see who his dad wants him to meet, and how they factor into a favor he'd been asked.

As he was tightening the straps on Toothless's saddle, Astrid brought the dragon eye over to him.

"So do you really have no idea who your dad wants us to meet?" She asked, stuffing the eye into his satchel. Hiccup shook his head, just as bewildered as his companions.

The flight there was long, but the weather was fair and the silent was filled with small talk, as well as conjecture and gossip about who they could possibly be meeting on the island.

Rotti nervously fiddled with the fur lining her belt, having shed her cloak and sleeves due to the fair weather. She couldn't help but notice how different she was from the other viking women. She was similar enough to them in build, with an ample bosom and wide hips, but her hair was shorter than everyone elses, unbraided and wild. Nobody here wore warpaint daily, but in her home, well, former home, she wore it every day. It was normal to her, and she couldn't imagine a morning where she didn't mix the paint fresh from berry juice and clay.

She saw the dragons in the distance, and sighed as Stoick put a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry lass, I'm sure they'll like you just fine." But his words of comfort fell on deaf ears, for she wasn't worried about whether or not they would like her. She was worried about whether she would like them.

The group landed, Hiccup taking the lead as he greeted his father, before examining the woman standing beside him.

"Ahem, Hiccup and company, I'd like you to meet Rotti Ice-Veins, she's the daughter of an old friend of mine and I, uh, would like you to train her to be a dragon rider." Hiccup rose a brow as the group muttered amongst themselves.

"Why us? We just got settled at the outpost and I'm sure someone on the island could train her." Stoick motioned for him to come to the side, and Rotti stood awkwardly by under the gaze and scrutiny of the other riders.

"Hiccup, Rotti is from Vyrmir, and there aren't a lot of other people her age there. I was just hoping it would do her some good to be around people her own age, and I would like you to take her back to Dragons Edge with you." Stoick said softly, glancing at the girl. A viking her age should be wild, loud, and free-spirited, but all he saw in her was melancholy. Hiccup looked at her, and back to his father, giving a firm nod. Stoick smiled, "Thank you son."

Hiccup walked back to the group, getting all of their attention. "Okay guys, looks like Rotti is coming back to the Edge with us. Now I'm doing this because dad asked me to, and I'd appreciate it if we made her feel welcome, at least." Astrid nodded, the twins and Fishlegs shrugged, while Snotlout snickered.

"Oh I'm sure I can make her feel verrry welcom-OW!" Astrid had smacked him on the head, giving him a warning glare.

Rotti shuffled over to them, eager to introduce herself. "Uhm, you must be Hiccup, right?"

"Yep, that's me. And this is Astrid," Astrid smiled and waved, "the twins, Tuffnut and Ruffnut Thorston," they gave her a friendly wave before going right back to plotting, "Fishlegs," the man in question gave her a warm smile and handshake, "Annnd finally my cousin, Snotlout." Hiccup's voice flattened as Snotlout gave her an eyebrow wiggle.

She shifted from foot to foot, examining the six of them. She figured she'd get along well enough with Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs, though she wasn't quite sure of the twins, and Snotlout gave her the creeps. "Well, uh, if you want to leave now, I can go get my stuff."

"You can ride with me if you want~" Snotlout leaned over to her with an attempt at a charming smirk, but she simply pushed his face away with a sneer before scampering up to the chief's house.

"Ha! I think I'll like her." Astrid laughed as Snotlout mumbled dejectedly. The twins nodded in agreement, and Fishlegs was practically vibrating with excitement at having someone who he can teach about all of the dragon species. She finally came back down with a cloak and a leather bag thrown over her shoulder. She had opted to join Astrid on Stormfly, admiring the bright coloration of the dragon. Hiccup thought maybe a nadder would be a good choice for her.

"So, Rotti, what's it like to live on Vyrmir? Isn't it all ice and snow, all year round?" Astrid asked, glancing behind her.

"Uh, yeah. Sometimes the snow melts on the shore, but it's basically an icebox 99% of the time." Rotti sighed, longing for the vast tundra of her home.

"So what'd you do there? You don't dress like a warrior." Ruffnut sidled up to the nadder on her zippleback, giving Rotti an appraising look.

"I guess I was a healer, I mean, I can fight too but I mostly work with herbs and medicines..."

"Pfft, lame." Tuffnut snorted, before earning a glare from his sister.

"Well I, personally, think it would be great to have a healer on the island. Maybe she can come up with a cure for your fat head!" She laughed at Tuffnut, who pulled on her braid, resulting in a boot in the face and so on and so fourth.

Rotti leaned closer to Astrid, "Are they always like that?" She quietly asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. You learn to deal with it...most of the time." she sighed.

Most of the flight passed in silence, and Rotti eagerly hopped off the dragon to stretch her legs when they landed. She marveled at their outpost, it was unlike anything she had seen on Vyrmir. The setting sun was warm on her typically cold skin, and the forest surrounding the base was thick and lush.

"I'll set up a cot in my room for you until you can get your own space, that okay?" Astrid smiled at her, and she fidgeted, so unused to socializing. Most of the group wandered off to do their own thing, making sure everything was still in order after their short day-trip.

"Yeah, that's fine. Thank you." She felt a nudge on her leg, and looked down to see a tiny white dragon, sleepily blinking at her. She cautiously reached down to scratch under it's chin, and it greedily welcomed the attention.

"See you've met Smidvarg." She jumped, spooked by the sudden conversation. She turned to see Tuffnut, holding a tiny chicken in his arms. She looked at the dragon, then to him, then to the chicken, and back at the dragon.

"Smidvarg…?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. What a dumb name for a dragon, she thought.

"Yes, Smidvarg. And this is chicken, say hello chicken." The tiny fowl in his arms clucked at her, it's vacant stare boring into her soul. "Smidvarg is the head of the gang, a group of "Night Terrors" that defend the island."

"Ha! Defends? But they're so tiny." She kneeled down to give the small dragon a proper scritching, finding "the spot" right under it's jaw.

"So? Tiny things can be deadly! Even moreso than bigger things!" He defended. "Ah, whatever. You'll see the light, one day. Oh, and Hiccup wanted me to tell you that dinner is in 10. Hope you like yak." And with that, Tuffnut wandered off, leaving Rotti with a bewildered expression.

"What a strange guy..." She muttered, standing up and walking where her nose led her. The smell of roasting yak meat drew her to a small hut with tables, chairs, mead barrels and spit-roast in the far end of it. Fishlegs was tending to the food, turning the meat and poking at the leeks being grilled

"So you're the one who cooks around here, hm?" She didn't mean to startle him, but she did, and he nearly knocked the whole spit over when he jumped.

"Oh! It's just you. Heheh." He laughed nervously, "Not really, each of us takes turns with cooking. Word of advice, when either Tuffnut or Astrid are cooking, just sneak some dried meat from the pantry." He slyly grinned and went back to sprinkling herbs on the meat. Rotti chuckled, sitting on a nearby chair and watching him work in silence. She wondered if she, too, would be asked to cook. She wasn't quite sure of her standing with the group. They were nice to her, sure, but she wasn't sure if she would truly be able to integrate herself in, and if not she saw herself leaving within a few weeks.

But where would she go? She couldn't go home, at least not now, and a modest living on Berk seemed do-able but not very...appealing. She sighed, thanking Thor when everyone else shuffled in for dinner. She grabbed a plate, a big mug of mead, and settled down between Fishlegs and Astrid, across from the twins and farthest from Snotlout. The air was filled with talks of saddles and flying maneuvers and whatnot, and she mostly ate silently, taking big gulps of the sweet drink in an effort to loosen her tongue. Maybe if she was tipsy she would be more approachable.

"Woah-oh-oh, slow down there, unless you wanna start a drinking contest with the twins." Astrid chuckled and whispered to her, though not quiet enough, apparently.

"Did someone say, drinking contest?" The twins eyes darted to her, an intense, identical gaze that stoked the growing fire in her belly. She slowly stood up, and they followed suit.

"Maybe. What's your wager?" She asked, voice laced with apprehension and interest in equal measures. The rest of the group shook their heads, batting down the hatches for what was going to come.

"If we win, you do our chores for a week!" They grinned, earning a scoff from Hiccup.

"Way to make her feel welcome..."He grumbled, crossing his arms.

"And if I win...you do my gatherings for me, for a week." They gave her a confused stare, and she huffed and rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't notice, I didn't bring a lot with me. I thrive in dried herbs, potions, all that fun stuff."

"Ohhh..." they nodded in understanding, before grinning malevolently and filling up three large tankards with the strongest mead they had. The contest had begun.

 _A/N: Hello readers! This is something new for me, I've never written for HTTYD before and I'd REALLLLLLY appreciate some reviews. It takes less than 30 seconds of your time and literally makes my day, and motivates me to write more. I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts about how i'm writing the characters, Rotti, etc. Please and thank you!_


	2. Thinking of Home

_**Forgot to do this last chapter so might as well now: I do not own nor do I claim ownership on the HTTYD series or any of the characters used in this story other than my own OC's. HTTYD belongs to Dreamworks and Cressida Cowell**_

Astrid quietly stepped out of bed before sunrise, casting a glance at the sleeping lump on the cot across the room. Rotti had shrugged most of the thick furs off while she slept. Her war-paint was smudged, and a bit of drool dribbled out of her mouth as she silently silently padded over, picking up a thin wool blanket and draping it over her new friend. She still wasn't exactly sure what to think of Rotti, but Stoick's word was enough for her to at least accept her. She grabbed all of her armor and stepped outside, strapping it on and saddling up on Stormfly. Time to train.

* * *

Rotti woke with a groan, pulling the straw pillow over her head to block out the sunlight that filtered in from an open window. "Ugh...what happened last night?" she muttered to herself, well aware Astrid was already gone. What a way to end her first day on the edge, and she can't even remember it. Eventually, she finally crawled out of the cot and strapped on her armor, deciding that today was a day for exploring.

"Wonder if I beat the twins in that contest.." She mused to herself, just before a big, slimy fish fell right onto her head. "Oh god...EWWWW!" She squealed, flinging the fish away and lamenting the loss of her clean hair.

"HA! That's what you get-" Ruffnut dropped down from the roof of the hut she just passed. "For beating us in a contest!" Tuffnut followed, wiping his hands on his tunic.

"That is so disgusting! What is _wrong_ with you two!?" She shuddered as she examined the putrid slime covering her hand. "Ugh, and for your information, I don't even _remember_ last night, so thanks for reminding me that you guys need to get going on my gathering today. Ooh, and all week, too."

The twins groaned, realizing their mistake. "Do we really have to? Fishlegs said you only out-lasted us by like, 2 seconds!" Ruffnut complained, putting on the best pitiful face she could muster.

"Yes, you do. After I get a bath, which I didn't need until now, I'll give you the list. It's up to you to find them though." She huffed, turning her nose up at the downtrodden twins. "Oh, and by the way, use gloves. My favorites are poisonous to the touch." She said with a smirk as she sauntered off in search of where ever they did their bathing. Finally she happened upon Hiccup, and she happily scampered up to him.

"Oh! Hi Rotti-oh, lemme guess, twins?" He stared at the smelly slime in her hair and she sheepishly nodded, a flush reddening her cheeks. "Well we don't have a 'proper' bathhouse here on the Edge, usually we just go to an island where there are hot springs."

Her face brightened at 'hot springs,' yet immediately fell when Hiccup awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Let me guess, too busy to send me there? Don't worry, I can find a stream on my own." She smiled nervously at him before heading off into the woods. "They'd better start training me soon...I mean what do they expect me to do, start it _myself_?" She scoffed at the idea of that, climbing over some bushes and coming to a small clearing, a crystal clear stream running through it.

"Ah….finally." She sighed, checking the surrounding brush for any voyeurs before checking the temperature of the stream she happened upon. Not too shallow, not too deep and...freezing, obviously. "Eh...beggars can't be choosers..." She muttered as she shed her armor and linens, doing a quick second check before stepping into the cold stream. Her skin prickled and tightened, before finally relaxing. She mulled over the events of yesterday, twirling her fingers in the water. She'd have to ask Astrid later about what she did last night, hopefully nothing _too_ embarrassing. She was still unsure about her 'new life,' but she figured she might as well dive head-first into it rather than stalling around the edge of the water, metaphorically.

A quick glance around assured that she was, indeed, alone. She chanced some small magick, the water coiling around her neck and up into her hair, pulling the oils and fish residue out of her roots and into the stream. Dunking her head underwater, she scrubbed away her old war paint as well as the sweat and grime of 3 days without a good bath. She cursed after she surfaced, the angry red marks from excessive scrubbing were mocking her misfortune. "If I build my own hut you can be damn sure there'll be a bathtub in it…." she grumbled, exiting the stream and drying off with a ratty piece of linen. " _and_ I'm gonna kill those twins for making me even get into that cold water in the first place..."

* * *

When she finally made her way back to Astrid's hut, its permanent resident was already inside, washing her face after morning training.

"Morning Rotti, how'd you sleep?" Astrid smirked at her, noting her damp hair and displeased expression. _"Must've been the twins. Ugh, those two..."_ She thought to herself, feeling sorry for the new resident of the island.

"I slept...eh..." She sat down and pulled a mortar and pestle out of her bag, pouring in a vial of purple liquid and powdered clay, grinding them together to make her paint. "So, what exactly happened last night? All I know is that I won." She asked while using her fingers to paint on the designs, trying very carefully not to get it in her hair.

"Well, you and the twins started neck-and-neck, I don't think I've ever seen that much mead go down that fast. What's weird though is that you were completely straight-faced and silent the whole time, minus the trash talk." Astrid chuckled at the memory, and for Rotti's sake wouldn't repeat some of the scathing dialogue that went on between her and the twins, particularly her and Tuffnut. "Ruffnut ended up puking, so she was disqualified, and after your, like, 10th mug, Tuffnut passed out and some of his hair ended up in the fire!" She couldn't help but find the whole situation hilarious, just how often is it she gets to see the twins bested?

Rotti's face fell a little, she could see the humor in it but she hadn't met to cause that much trouble. Feeling the mood drop, Astrid quickly scrambled to end the story on a less-guilty note. "I mean, his hair's okay, it was so dirty it barely even singed. But anyway, we all congratulated you but not 2 seconds later you just pass out, right on the table! How did you do that anyway?"

"Hell if I know, that's just how I get if I drink too much. Maybe it's a survival mechanism." Rotti chuckled, tapping a charcoal pencil to her chin as she contemplated what to put on her "grocery" list. The conversation faded into comfortable silence as she thought long and hard about the different plants native to this area. Substitute blue oleander for death bell, poisonous thistle for northern needle bush, tree berries and dragons tongue ground up should make something similar to snow berry juice, and she'd just have to talk to a sea-faring trader about some of her other choice 'herbs and spices.' She smiled to herself as she gently folded the note, marching out to look for the twins.

* * *

"Hmm...nowhere to be found, still!" she huffed as she crossed the landing strip for the second time. "Really, can't they take a loss with grace? A little dignity?And I _hope_ they don't expect me to gather all these up myself, for there sake..." She mumbled the last bit, her agitation palpable in the air. She was so irritated in fact, that she didn't notice the silent creeping of a certain Hideous Zippleback on the roof behind her, and jumped practically 6 feet in the air when it screeched right in her ear, accompanied by an unmistakable screech.

"LOKI'D!" They shouted with glee, extremely amused, and slightly impressed, with how _far_ she managed to get off the ground. "Oh, oh that was good. Nothing beats a good ol' classic scare. Doesn't get much simpler than that, right sis? Tuffnut remarked as him and his sister were choking on their own laughter. "Definitely brother, you just can't find that level of sophisticated simplicity in the newer ones. I personally- Oh. Uh-oh." She paused as Rotti slowly turned to them, face a deep, angry red, teeth bared in a snarl.

"WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. YOU." She definitely wasn't a shouter, that was for sure. Her words were precise, enunciated, and absolutely dripping with terrible terror venom. Her eyebrow twitched and she balled her fists up tight, trying oh-so-very hard not to attack them and their dragon with her bare hands. "I don't CARE whether you like me or not, but the least you two could do is try and _respect_ me, and that includes, oh, I don't know, not trying to ruin my day every couple of hours."

"Jeeze, no need to be so touchy. We're just havin' a lil' fun, is all." Ruffnut reasoned, turning to her brother for support. She really wasn't prepared for the earful she knew Hiccup was going to give them later. Tuffnut nodded firmly at her, a smirk on his face. "Yeah! And in the name of Loki, no less! C'mon, gotta please the guy upstairs."

"Oh please, Loki can shove it for all I care. Oh, and consider yourselves debt-free, I wouldn't want you two to completely destroy the plants around here that I actually _can_ use." She practically growled, turning on her heel and stomping off to find a place she could get some peace and quiet.

The twins shrugged and dismounted Barf and Belch before returning to their own hut, each feeling kind of guilty in their own way. "I mean, why did she have to get so mad? I like it better when people just yell at us and get it over with. She was completely steamed!" Ruffnut complained, dragging the edge of her knife along a whetstone. She didn't _mean_ to scare her so much, but she guessed the fear of dragon attacks weren't as far back in the past for Rotti as they were for her and her brother.

"Yeah! I mean Hiccup _told_ us to make her feel welcome, and that's what we're doing, right? We're treating her the same way we treat everyone else, no one on this island is exempt!" He huffed as he dusted Ser Boaris' mounted head. He did feel bad, but it wasn't like he was ever going to admit it. Honestly, she made him a little nervous. She was pretty, in a viking-way but also in her own way, and after being around his sister and Astrid for the past 4 years, it was...weird, to have a girl around that he was even mildly attracted to. But she was also the exact opposite of someone he would even consider. "As if I'd ever be seriously interested in her," He thought to himself, being very careful to make sure his thoughts stayed out of his mouth. "She's boring, stiff, hates fun…and she probably hates me." He sighed, shrugging off the tension in his shoulders and resolving that she'd eventually just get over it. Everyone does.

* * *

Rotti found herself lounging by the edge of a cliff, staring out at the deep blue ocean and sparsely clouded horizon. She was staring precisely north-by-northeast, and somewhere across that sea she knew her home was there, a frozen rock dotted with thick forests and icy rivers. She may not be able to go back any time soon, but her skin still ached for the stinging cold, her heart longing for the bitter wind to go through her hair. But no, she wasn't in Vyrmir, she was on Dragon's Edge where her skin soaked up the warm rays and salty sea-breezes caressed her face.

She hated it. She hated how it lulled her into a false sense of security, it's siren song tempting her to relax, to become vulnerable, to _change_. She refused to relent, as stony and unmoving as the mountains that dominated her home, because she knew that no matter where you are in this world, danger is lurking just beyond your sight line. And she's not about to let some nice weather change that.

Her train of thought was derailed as Fishlegs jogged up to her spot, panting and gasping for air. "There you are! Hiccup wanted me to come find you, it's time to design and plan your hut! And teach you the basics about dragons!" He practically squealed the last part, excitement brimming in the air around him. Rotti rose a brow, not expecting to sketch out her own hut so soon. She shrugged, following him down to the clubhouse where Hiccup had amassed large sheets of paper and charcoal pencils of all sizes.

"Okay, now that you're here, we can get started. Now, we didn't plan for a 7th rider to join us, but I've found a decent sized clear spot, higher up than most of the base so you'd have to zipline down or go through the woods." He pointed the spot out on the map, and Rotti nodded thoughtfully before getting Hiccup to help her sketch out the floor plan and design. It was small, but not tiny, with an alchemy station, bookshelf, and herb-drying rack on one wall. A good sized bed would be in the corner by the window, and in the other corner was a sunken tub that Hiccup said her dragon would be able to heat for her, whenever she got one. In the center would be a stone circle for her dragon to sleep, but because she doesn't have one yet they just left the size ambiguous. After tweaking the design a little she held the paper up, nodding firmly. She could see herself getting quite comfortable in her own little house.

"So how soon do you think we can get this started?" She asked. Hiccup stroked his chin, arithmetic rushing through his head as he estimated all the costs and materials. "Well there's no shortage of rocks and wood around here, and then there's the digging, and we have to get furs and glass and that station of yours…About 3 weeks, think you can hold out for that long?"

Her face fell, but it wouldn't do her good to seem ungrateful. "I can try, heheh. So, about the dragons?" Hiccup nodded, letting an excited Fishlegs take over. He plopped the book of dragons in front of her, grinning like a child on Snoggletog.

"Okay so, first we start with the classes. Every dragon is part of a class. Now the most well-known is the Stoker class, hotheaded fire-breathers like Typhoomerangs, and the Monstrous Nightmare, which I'm sure you already know can set itself on fire using a unique flammable gel. Stoker class dragons are very passionate and can sometimes get a little over-attached, and if you find one with it's flame going out, it means it's going to die. It can _only_ be reignited by Fireworm Queen venom or by eating the flame gel combs. Both very hard to get." Rotti was listening intently to Fishlegs, eager to learn all the secrets and quirks of the beasts that had terrorized these lands not even 5 years ago.

As the lesson went on she found herself most drawn to the dragons in the Mystery class. The idea of her with a stealthy, silent dragon at her side was appealing, to say the least. She upturned her nose at the image of a Hideous Zippleback, the embarrassment of the days earlier events still a fresh wound.

"Y'know we used to call the Mystery class the Fear class, but since we don't fear dragons anymore we decided to change it." Fishlegs explained as his 'student' flipped through the book, skimming the descriptions and statistics.

"Hm," She frowned "Shame the Death Song is listed as 'untrainable,' it is quite lovely."

Fishlegs shuddered at the memory. "I think I'd rather live with the twins…" Rotti rose a brow at him.

"That bad?"

"That bad."

* * *

Rotti rubbed her temple as as she walked up towards the dining hut, book of dragons in hand. Fishlegs warned her that Tuffnut was cooking tonight, and after hours of cramming dragon facts into her head and _still_ not having everything down pat, she didn't really feel like eating with the others tonight. She wrapped some bread, cheese, and smoked meat in a cloth before grabbing a bottle of spiced mead on her way out. She rounded the corner, firing off dragon trivia in her head and failing to notice that someone else was rounding that same corner.

"Ugh! Seriously?" She huffed at Tuffnut as she gathered up the things she had dropped.

"You ran into me!" Tuffnut argued, having dropped down to help her pick things up without even registering it.

"Same difference." She grumbled. He picked up the bottle and handed it back to her, and their fingers just barely brushed. Tuffnut was almost jolted, her hands were cold as ice and felt like they had electricity buzzing on them, a shockwave he wasn't sure was real or not traveling up his arm. He quickly, and clumsily, composed himself, muttering a sorry and saying he had more important things to attend to, thank you very much. Rotti frowned, walking back to Astrid's hut to thankfully find it empty.

She glanced at her hand as she ate and read, remembering that accidental physical contact. She might've actually enjoyed it, had it not been for the fact that it was Tuffnut and he never washed his hands. She sighed, returning her focus to the book in front of her, trying so hard to keep her mind on one track. Brushing fingertips with boys is something _other_ 17 year old viking girls think about, she told herself. Those simple pleasures in life were not for her.

An hour turned to two hours, and two hours to three and she had still barely got any reading done. Her mind was just flitting about, to how her life would be here in the long term, to her hut designs, to what she would make for dinner if she was asked to. It was much easier to focus on all things not-Tuffnut than to focus on one thing that was not Tuffnut. She finally decided to turn in, closing the book and preparing herself for bed. Snuggled up warm under the furs, a belly full of warm mead and a meal-sized snack, her mind wandered lower and lower, until she was gently running her fingers along a large scar on her stomach. The scar made her frown, but she couldn't pretend it wasn't there. Because it was, every day, and will probably be for the rest of her life. An ugly reminder of the worst day of her life.

* * *

 _A/N: Wooh! Finally got that second chapter out. Honestly, it's 7:02 in the morning and I haven't slept and i'm too eager to get this out to do a proper editing. I just want it OUT THEREEEE. I need the attention, so please remember to review! No thought or opinion is too small to tell me. No seriously, I soak up the attention like a...very thirsty plant, I guess. I tried to explore a little bit more of Rotti's personality other than 'broody and silent,' as well as throwing in some interactions with other characters as well. Sorry if there isn't enough dialogue though, I'm very slowly working my way up to a level of confidence where I can actually write for the other characters, haha. Anyway, please tell me what you think!_

 _EDIT: I have updated the picture of Rotti that can be found on my profile, just delete the spaces in the imgur url. I mean really, why have an option to make text a link if it's not going to work? Thanks fanfiction_


	3. Kindred Spirits

_**I do not own nor claim ownership to any characters or elements in this story besides the ones I've created myself. HTTYD belongs to Dreamworks and Cressida Cowell. Rotti Ice-Veins and Moongazer belong to me**_

 _ **(WARNING: There is some mild gore/injury in this chapter. If you have a weak stomach, message me for a censored version.)**_

* * *

-Rotti's POV-

 _Run dodge run turn duck jump run grab that weapon run block stab run._ My inner monologue is nothing but a series of rapid-fire commands to my weak body. I'm 14, thin as a blade of grass and absolutely terrified. A sea-faring army of bandits has stopped on Vyrmir's shores, taking advantage of the fact that many of our warriors had been lost at sea, leaving the island near-defenseless. Slick, warm blood coated my borrowed blade, dripping down onto the white snow that crunches under my feet as I run.

 _Where are they?_ I ask myself, eyes turning to the sky. The villagers of Berk had begun to train dragons last year, and they have become a force like no other. So of course we're allied with them, but where are they now? The messenger dragon they sent us to use in case we needed help couldn't be that slow, could it? My thoughts are interrupted as I quickly duck, a broadsword cutting into the wall behind me. I rammed my short blade upwards into his chest, squealing in disgust at the spray of blood coating me. I didn't like to kill, but when you're a viking there are just some things you have to deal with.

My eyes light up with hope when I see the fleet of dragons in the distance, and I run to find my family. My father, a massive wall of a man fights with all the viciousness of a sprightly young warrior. And my mother, tall and thin but with hidden muscles and a deadly smile. Her sun-colored hair has come undone, whipping around her head wildly as she engages a pirate at least 3 times her size in close combat. Parry, swipe, counter, block. Her moves are like a choreographed dance, unlike my father's brute strength.

But I could never imagine what would come next. An arrow sings just left of my ear, pinning my mother to the wall through her shoulder. The pirate pulls back his ax for the killing blow. I have never moved so fast in my life, a blur in slow motion. Not one second after I push her away do I feel the dull axe rip into my skin, accompanied by a sickening crunch and a swell of blood pouring out of my stomach, just above my hips. I can't feel my legs. In the background I can faintly hear my father screaming, and out of the corner of my eye, my shocked mother falling by an arrow to the skull.

I can vaguely register my father going absolutely berserk, the dragon fleet having landed and helping with the slaughter. The axe is still in me, and in a horrifying moment of clarity I realized that it is _in the wall_ behind me, nothing but a few scraps of muscle and spine holding my lower half to my upper. I was going to die.

* * *

-3rd person POV-

Rotti woke with a scream, having drifted off to sleep only to dream about _that_ day. Astrid was up in less than a second, holding a large axe and searching for the danger. It was the dead of night, and the whole island had probably heard her.

Rotti buried her face in furs, stifling sobs and paying no attention to the sudden influx of vikings into Astrid's bedroom. Some were clamoring to see what the commotion was about, others complained about their interrupted sleep. She was mortified. She felt stupid and scared, and above all, ashamed.

Astrid pulled everyone to the side, her brow furrowed in concern. "I think she just had a bad dream guys, I'll take care of it." She was painfully aware that none of them knew Rotti that well, but considering that she roomed with her, she felt it was best if she was the only one to comfort her. _If_ she'd have it. Everyone made their way out as Astrid made her way to Rotti's cot, crouching down to be level with her.

"Rotti? Are you...okay?" Astrid had to admit, she wasn't the most sensitive on the edge, nor was she the best at consoling people, but she was at least trying. Rotti slowly let the furs fall from her face, tears staining her cheeks, her eyes puffy and red.

"I'm _fine_ , just a bad dream."She half-lied, knowing full well that it was a bad memory and not just a figment of her mind. Part of her wanted to let Astrid comfort her, part of her wanted a shoulder to cry on. She quickly stomped that part of her out, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "I swear, it was just a dream. I'll be fine, sorry for waking you up." She didn't mean to come off so cold, but Astrid understood. She understood what it was like to need to hide your feelings, bury them deep.

"I think I just need to go for a walk, or something..." She mumbled, hurriedly putting her boots on and rushing out the door, leaving Astrid to swallow her concerned words. The night air was frigid, stinging her face in all the right ways. She just needed to get away from _this_ , at least for a moment. She found a tall, sturdy tree to nestle herself in, rough bark and spiny branches scraping at her skin as she climbed. She formed a ball so small, so tight that every muscle in her body ached and her eyes burned like fire. Then she released, the tension expelling from her body in a wave as she whispered a mantra to herself.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's over. Dreams can't hurt you. Dreams can't hurt you. Dreams can't hurt you." She repeated, eyes glazing over as she immersed herself in the one thing she knew to be true. Dreams can't hurt you...Physically. She didn't remember climbing out of the tree, or going back to Astrids room, but she did remember the exhaustion hitting her the second she hit the pillow. She forced herself to not have any more dreams.

* * *

Morning came and Rotti wasn't looking forward to dealing with the other vikings after that little event last night. She groaned as she got out of bed, washing her face before putting on her war paint and armor. A small note was left on the door.

 _Rotti, come to the dragon training arena when you wake up. Be prepared!_

She shrugged, grabbing her bag and making the trek up to the arena. Everyone was there, as well as their dragons. Hiccup stepped forward, giving a grand wave towards all of the beasts behind him. "So, which one do you want to try first?"

"Wait, you're not going to give me any real instruction? You're just going to put me on a dragon, slap it's flank and go?" She frowned, unsure about the safety of all this. "That's right, Rotti, just continue on as if nothing happened." She thought.

Hiccup smirked, "I believe in learning on the job." The rest of the group snickered, and she rose a brow in confusion. She definitely didn't want to ride the Zippleback, and the Nightmare belonged to Snotlout, Gronckles weren't "her thing," so she was left with a choice between the Nadder and the Night Fury. She nodded at Astrid, and prepared to mount Stormfly.

"Don't worry girl, Rotti's just gonna fly you once around the island. Just...don't drop her, kay?" Astrid whispered comfortingly to the nadder, who sniffed Rotti before letting her climb on her back.

She gripped the reins far too tight, her knuckles turning white and her hands burning against the leather. This was, most likely, the craziest thing she'd ever done. With laughs and "good lucks" behind her, she took off, Stormfly shooting high into the sky. Her stomach still on the ground, she tensed and held onto the reptile for dear life, only calming when she no longer felt like expelling the breakfast she didn't even eat.

"This is amazing..." Rotti whispered to herself, eyes full of wonder as she gazed at the horizon and surrounding islands. The cold wind on her face, through her hair, it made her feel _free_ , freer than she ever had. Maybe this dragon riding thing wouldn't be so bad, she thought. But something in the distance caught her attention, and she tried with all her might to get Stormfly to land.

"Ugh, finally, you stubborn chicken..." She muttered as Stormfly descended, earning a scarily-indignant look from the dragon. Rotti hopped off as soon as she hit the ground, rushing over to the group.

"What is it? What did you see up there?" Astrid questioned, noting the anxious look on Rotti's face.

"Carrion birds, vultures, lots of them. Circling the shore of a nearby island, northwest of here." She answered, furrowing her brow in concern. Vultures only circle if something isn't dead... _yet._

Hiccup nodded thoughtfully, mounting Toothless, who gave him a worried grunt. "Okay, you guys stay here. Me, Astrid and Rotti will check it out."

The two girls quickly mounted Stormfly and off they went, flying at high speeds and causing the vultures to flee at the sight of them.

"Oh no…." Rotti whispered as she rushed towards their intended meal, a dragon she had never seen before, flopped on it's side like a dying whale. It was long, and skinnier than it should be, with grey and lavender scales and a deep blue underbelly. It had no hind legs, with long rows of frills running down it's back and sides. There were several large, festering gashes in it's chest and arms, and she had to hold her nose to keep from hurling as she noticed they were _crawling_ with maggots. It's pink eyes were cloudy and unfocused, but it still spared her a glance when she neared it. She could hear Astrid gasp, and Hiccup immediately rushed over as well. "Can...can we save it?" She asked anxiously, feeling the phantom pain of the dragons wounds.

Hiccup thought for a moment, and nodded slowly. "If we get it help, fast. The maggots have been eating the dead tissue, so if we can get it back to the edge _yesterday_ then we might be able to save it." Astrid grabbed the satchel of medical supplies she always carried with her.

"Rotti, you're the healer. I'm going to get the others so we can carry it back to the Edge, in the meantime try and keep it alive." She met her gaze and there was an understanding Astrid rarely felt with the other vikings. Now wasn't a time for emotions, it was time to focus and work.

Rotti steeled her face and quickly went about scraping away all the maggots in the dragons wounds, even using her own hands to get at some. She poured an antiseptic poultice over the wounds, the dragon giving only a strong huff as the wounds bubbled and stung. It wasn't long before Astrid returned with the other riders and a large tarp, which they loaded the dragon into. It didn't struggle, and that wasn't a good sign.

The dragon was set on the first spot they could find, the massive stone slab where Rotti's hut would eventually go, and she shooed everyone but Hiccup and Astrid away as she showed them what a healer from Vyrmir could really do. The others watched from a safe distance as she worked at a lightning pace, barking out orders to Hiccup and Astrid. She used a needle made from dragon bone to stitch closed it's wounds, and wrapped it tight in thick, poultice soaked bandages. Everyone helped her as she turned the dragons head upward, massaging the intact parts of its throat as she dripped water into it's mouth. An hour of tense silence later, the dragon had drank half a barrel of water before finally falling asleep, it's chest rising and falling with each shaky breath.

Rotti wrung her hands out in a basin of water, washing away the dried blood before wiping the sweat off her brow. The others (Minus Snotlout, who had retreated to puke in the bushes) stared at her in absolute shock, they might have patched up themselves, or gone to see Berks healer from time to time, but they had just witnessed someone who had rode a dragon _once_ bring one back from the brink of death itself.

Noticing the stares, she rose a brow. "What? You people have never seen a healer at work before?"

"Well, I mean, we totally have." Ruffnut started, pulling herself out of awe.

"Yeah, it's just with us being on the backs of dragons and all that, we don't really get hurt all that much. We usually do the hurting!" Tuffnut finished, getting a closer look at the dragon.

"That, well, that was amazing though! I didn't think it was gonna make it, to be honest." Hiccup psuedo-congratulated her, still in awe that one 17 year old could have that much skill.

"Oh don't say that, I knew you were going to be able to save it!" Astrid clapped a hand on Rotti's shoulder, a bright smile bringing out the freckles on her face. "My uncle went to Vymir once, says the healers train from birth. Of course you're _that_ good."

Fishlegs butted in, dragon manual in tow. "Not to diminish you're extremely high level of skill in triage, Rotti, but I have got to say that we've never seen this dragon before! It must be native to this area, and it's an amazing opportunity to study this dragon as it heals! Ooh, isn't this exciting?" He practically giggled, and Rotti grew nervous. She couldn't explain why, but this dragon felt like it was _hers,_ and she needed to protect it.

"Nothing invasive, right? I mean, it still has a long way to go, recovery wise..." She mumbled.

"Oh no of course not, but just examining it's behaviors is already so informative! When we learn more about it I'd love your help creating the entry in the dragon manual, by the way, since you're the one who discovered it!"

"Hey!" Tuffnut butted in, giving Fishlegs an angry glare, "You never asked for _my_ help writing about Smidvarg and the Gang, and I totally discovered them!" Ruffnut nodded in agreement, and Fishlegs simply deadpanned.

"That's because you're Tuffnut."

* * *

And so the weeks whittled by, Rotti's training had all but stopped as she tended to the wounded dragon. Being a dragon, it's healing factor was rapid, and in her spare time she built her hut around it. Everyone could see it, the budding bond between a dragon and it's rider. The dragon, who Rotti had named  
Moongazer, quickly let her in. She hand fed it fish and tended to it's wounds constantly, and in time the color came back to it's eyes and the bandages were cut away to reveal fresh, but healed, scars.

The other dragons were slowly introduced to it, Toothless being the friendliest and Barf and Belch...well, Rotti had to tend to some fresh wounds on both dragons after they met. The dragon moved gracefully, if a little shaky, by wiggling it's long tail and propelling itself with it's front legs. It was also incredibly venomous, everyone having found that out after it's little face-off with Barf and Belch. But statistics aside, Moongazer was an incredibly affectionate dragon, placing her head in Rotti's lap while she wrote every night.

A knock at her hut door brought Rotti out from her writing zone, and with an irritated huff she closed the journal and gently moved Moongazer's head off of her lap.

"Yes? What do you want?" She asked incredulously, as it was Tuffnut at the door. Just Tuffnut. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, as neither had forgotten the strange yet insignificant feelings that rose last time they were alone. Hah, imagine that a simple brush of the fingers could incite such awkwardness.

"Well...Ruffnut wanted me to come and apologize for your dragon biting ours." He hmphed, which earned him a door slam to the face. He jammed his foot in at the last second, wincing as the full force of her slam hit him. "Okay okay! I'm sorry I didn't stop Belch when he went at your dragon! You happy!?"

"And just why are you the only one here, I never see you without your sister." She leaned against the door frame, arms crossing. She really hated that she had to look up to him, but it's not like she could make herself taller. She'd tried.

"She insists that since Belch is my half of the dragon that it's _my_ fault and that I have to apologize for _my_ actions. Insane, right? Barf was guilty too!" Tuffnut didn't want to admit that Hiccup also had a hand in this, and it didn't have _anything_ to do with not wanting his masculinity to be threatened in front of Rotti. Absolutely _nothing._

" _Oh_ , the nerve of it all! It's not like you're dragon actively lunged at mine, or anything…." She said, liking the way the word "mine" felt on her tongue. There weren't a lot of things she could describe as hers. Tuffnut huffed, and she couldn't help but notice the way his hand kept reaching up to fiddle with his dreadlocks.

"Hm. He's nervous. Interesting." she thought to herself, of course she was nervous as well but she was better at hiding it. Practice makes perfect.

"Do you want the apology or not!? Because I can go right back to loki'ing you!" He had leaned in closer than expected, and it didn't register until Rotti's face turned pink and she took a step back, uncomfortable. But of course, she didn't miss a beat. Banter was a specialty of hers.

"Really? I thought you were going to go right back to loki'ing me anyway." She innocently bat her lashes, checking her nails with a flippant look a second later.

"Ah yes, but the choice is yours as to when that happens is _yours_ , my tiny friend." He smirked and crossed his arms, looking down at her. This was his element, with a back and forth like this he could notice how pretty she actually was without his stomach rising to his throat. She was wearing her under armor, a bandage wrap top and soft doeskin leggings, which didn't leave much to the imagination about how wide her hips were. Jeez, he wondered if she ever had to go through a doorway sideways.

"Friends, already? Aw, I'm so _flattered_ , but I'd rather not have a _friend_ dumping slimy, cold, smelly fish on me every other day." She spat, still unable to get rid of that gross feeling in her hair, even though she knew any fish slime was long, long gone. But she couldn't seem to be truly bitter about at this moment, as she was too busy focusing on just how _good_ he would look if he would just take a damn bath. Maybe once she got into the kitchen here she might even be able to put some meat on his bones, she thought with a mental giggle.

"Well ain't everybody a critic, I'll have you know that's a classic! You don't stray from the classics!" He defended, truly proud of his simple, albeit effective, methods of pranking.

"Well, maybe, just hear me out, you could be more….." She tapped her chin, the word at the tip of her tongue, before snapping her fingers and leaning in real close, looking him up and down. "Flexible." The way the word rolled off her tongue had him right where she wanted, the sarcasm and sensuality turning his face bright red, and she slammed the door in his face with a smirk before he could think of a comeback. "Haha, goodnight Tuffnut!" She laughed to herself as she heard him zipline away back to his own hut, Moongaze giving her a curious look, head cocked to the side.

"Ah...boys, am I right?" She patted the dragon on the snout as it gave a knowing nod. She finished up some sketches in her journal, mostly quick studies of Moongaze, before hopping into bed and mulling over the past couple of weeks, finally falling asleep with her dragon dutifully watching over her.

* * *

 _A/N: I am so sorry this took so long! I've been whittling away at this chapter for a couple of weeks, and I'm still not so sure about it :/ I'm really trying to ease into Rotti's dynamics with the groups, because I do have a lot of trouble writing group interactions (if you have any tips please send them my way)_

 _ALSO you can check out a picture of Moongazer on my profile! Remember to review, my pretties! It literally gives me LIFE, especially any in depth reviews you guys may have stashed away_ :3c


	4. Witches Bane, AKA Obnoxious Children

_**Note: Rotti arrives on the island in-between When Darkness Falls and Big Man on Berk which, due to writers block, I have decided to skip over. This chapter starts up at the beginning of Gone Gustav Gone.**_

 _ **I do not own nor claim ownership to any of the characters and elements used in this story excluding the ones I have created myself. How to Train Your Dragon belongs to Dreamworks and Cressida Cowell. Rotti Ice-Veins and Moongazer the Hissing Horror belong to me.**_

* * *

Rotti strode past Hiccups hut, pausing at the faint purple glow coming from inside. Curious, and silent, she snuck a peek through the crack of the door, narrowing in on the strange object he was shining at the walls. _"Well what fancy contraption do we have here?"_ she mused, quickly rushing from the door as she heard footsteps rounding the corner. She peeked around the corner, relieved it was just Astrid, but aware that Hiccup's right hand gal probably wouldn't appreciate her snooping. Of course, she could still easily eavesdrop from here.

"Hiccup, we have a problem. A _huge_ problem." Rotti furrowed her brow at Astrids words, there wasn't any panic in them...more like, annoyance?

"Is it Dagur?" Now there was the alarm. Rotti wondered who this Dagur character was, why he was a problem and who was, apparently, worse than him. She saw a pink Monstrous Nightmare fly into the hut, shaking the very boards she stood on. She tried to enter and next thing she knew she was shoved forward by the small horde throwing themselves into Hiccup's hut.

"Hiccup! Did you hear Gustav is-" Snotlout stopped right in his tracks at the sight of the young viking standing near Hiccup, and Rotti slammed into his back, balance only kept by Fishlegs putting a hand on her shoulder. "ssstanding right beside you! Perfect." The fake amusement in his voice almost made her laugh.

"Ya lookin' a little different there Guster." Tuffnut shoved his head past her and Snotlout to get a look at him.

"Yeah, I'm growin' a beard." He said with pride, and at this point Rotti tuned the entire conversation out. After some crude remarks about Ruffnuts facial hair she finally cleared her throat, drawing the gaze of everyone in the room.

"So, I don't mean to impose or anything but it'd be really nice if someone told me what's going on. Who's this kid?" She couldn't help but notice, and fear, the foreboding looks of pity that everyone (well, excluding Gustav, of course) was giving her. Before Gustav could introduce himself, though, Tuffnut yanked out his 'beard' and sent him stumbling backwards, right onto that strange little artifact Hiccup had been playing with.

Rotti winced as the little fool shined the light directly into his eyes, then rolled her own at the notion that whatever it was is a "sun sword."

"No, Gustav, it's not a sun sword." Hiccup sighed, handing it off to Fishlegs who explained in more detail.

"It's the Dragon Eye, and it's very old and very fragile." he scolded, "and it isn't something to just be touched."

Hm, so that's what it was, she thought. At least she knew it's name, but she still hadn't a clue what the thing was for. She met Hiccup's eyes with an accusatory glower, to which he guiltily slumped his shoulders.

"We were getting around to telling you." He said with a nervous laugh. Great, he thought, now she's gonna think we're keeping secrets from her. It really wasn't that he didn't want her to know, he just hadn't gotten around to it. After hearing his dad's stories, the last thing he wanted to do was make that poor girl feel alienated. He knew she'd probably spit on him for pitying her, but from what he's heard he couldn't stop himself.

To his relief she waved a dismissive hand, showing there were no hard feelings. _"As long as I get to find out what that is soon..."_ She thought to herself, her curiosity definitely not sated.

She pinched the bridge of her nose as Gustav knocked down some of Toothless' tail fins, and her entire body tensed up when he said he _wasn't_ leaving.

"You've got to be kidding me..." She grumbled, nodding along with the twins at "stake and firewood."

"Hold on, hold on. No one is burning anyone at the stake." Hiccup reasoned, but even he had a little bit of doubt in his voice.

"Hiccup's right, just throw him off a cliff!" Ruffnut suggested, earning points from Rotti and presumably everyone but Hiccup and the kid himself.

"Guys! I'm sure there's a simple explanation….please tell me there's a simple explanation." Hiccup pleaded to the boy, who was still dizzying around.

"Yeah, very simple. By the way, _do not_ look right into that sun sword thing. Hahaha, wooh! Anyway, you said when I was ready that I could join the dragon riders, well I'm ready and I'm here to join! So, where's my hut?" He was completely oblivious to the sheer contempt for him in the room, and it almost made her pity him. Almost. Not really. One-Third of the way to ptiy.

Rotti lips twitched upwards in a sneer, and she leaned over to the twins. "We slip the nightshade into his mead at dinner." She whispered. By Thor, this was going to be a long day.

* * *

And so the time came when Gustav was shipped off to her, by cruel forces unknown, unknown because nobody would fess up who had him before her. He eagerly extended out a hand, a cocky smirk on his face. "Well _hello there,_ I'm-"

"Gustav. I know. What are you doing outside my hut." Her voice was stern, low, and utterly devoid of humanity. If there was anything she hated, it was obnoxious people, and this boy was the true embodiment of the word.

"Oh! Just helpin' out around here, thought I'd throw out all the dead flowers and bugs in there, tidy up a bit." He was completely oblivious to Rotti's heart dropping to the pits of Hel and his "no need to thank me" fell on deaf ears and Rotti threw herself into her hut, dropping to her knees at the sight of her alchemy station and bath supplies, or lack thereof. Entire shelves cleaned off, nothing left but the scant bottles of oils and extracts. She clutched a glass vial in her hand, shattering it with the force of her grip as she slowly turned to the boy. The blood dripping down her arm and onto the floor don't bother her a bit, but he doesn't know that.

"Leave. Never talk to me again. Ever." She succeeded at keeping her voice calm, true to her family's name she was as cold as the northern glaciers. He scampered out dejectedly, and Rotti set to picking the bits of glass out of her hand. She wrapped the wound tight in bandages and face-planted into her pillows, welcoming the comforting nudges from Moongazer as she let out a big, long "UGH."

* * *

She avoided the group for the rest of the day, only trudging down to the mead hall once Fishlegs informed her that it was actually her turn to cook. He stayed with her while she cooked, taking note of how she mixed spices and herbs and making a little smalltalk. The mutton stew was done and everyone, sans their newest edition, shuffled in for dinner. There was a somber mood, and Tuffnut gave her an inquisitive look as she sat down.

"He's not here, guess the poison's a bust." he whispered to her and Ruffnut, prompting a big sigh from Rotti.

"Couldn't even make it anyway, he "tidied up" my hut and almost everything is gone. Even the quicksilver flecks I keep hidden in my...oh my god." She slammed her forehead in the table as she realized the little rat had gone through her small clothes! She shoved the half eaten bowl of stew away, getting up and grabbing a bottle of their strongest wine on the way out.

She didn't have a clear idea of where she would go, but eventually she found herself in a small forest clearing, flowers growing wild near the treeline and some sturdy fallen logs that were only a little rotted. She sat down on one such log, setting to work on the bottle of harsh, dry wine. The bitter taste made her mouth feel like chalk but she powered through it, a true warrior. Soon she was hunched over with the bottle hovering below her lips, too lazy to bring it back up but too attached to set it down.

A certain blonde twin found her sitting there alone, and after swallowing his courage, and a huge gulp of mead, he meandered his way over, careful not to startle her.

"Bad day, huh?" She lifted her head as Tuffnut sat down near her on a log, the wood creaking beneath his weight.

"What ya think?" Her voice was a little slurry but her eyes were still clear and bright. "I thought Snotlout was the second most obnoxious person on the planet, but that boy sure did prove me wrong. I hate being proven wrong." She grumbled.

"Wait, if Gustav is the second then who's the first? You better not be talking about me." he half-joked, taking a big swig of mead. Rotti's shoulders tensed up, her knees bent in and she had to stop herself from choking on her wine. She immediately forced her body to relax, shaking her head and with an oh-so-casual voice going "Oh, no one."

"No one? Really?" His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her, noticing the increase in her gulp size and the sudden cloudiness in her eyes.

"Just some asshole on Vyrmir, one thing I don't miss about that place." But alas, even thinking about her home gave way to a sigh. She really missed it, but it's not like anyone from Berk would understand.

"What's so great about Vyrmir anyway? No offense, but I've heard the only thing worth living for there is the yak cheese. Which, I'll admit is a perfectly valid and noble thing to aspire for in life." His hand twitched upwards to tug on his hair, but he quickly stopped himself and gripped onto his tankard instead.

"Pfft, of course you pampered babies wouldn't understand. You think Berk is cold, desolate, and uninhabitable? Only the southernmost tip of Vyrmir is farmable, everything else has to be preserved or grown in the snow. Our injury rate is so high that I knew how to make a poultice before I could walk and how to stitch a wound closed before I was past my father's knee. You spend your entire life either toiling in the mines, toiling in the snow, or fighting off bandits. Bandits that will usually kill you." Her cynical view of her home didn't mean she loved it any less, the harsh land had shaped her into who she was to day and for that she would thank it...at least, she thought she should. The more she spent on this island, with these people, the more her own predicament seemed more of a curse than a blessing.

"Wow, and you like it so much _why?_ " He rose a brow at her and she took another big swig of wine.

"It's the perfect conditions for the snow wraith venom that runs through my soul, y'know, if the family name wasn't making it obvious." she chuckled softly, choosing to stare at an interesting patch of grass instead of meeting his gaze. "In all seriousness though, you couldn't understand. That vast frozen hellscape is as much apart of me as I am of it. Not that I left much of a mark there anyway.." The last part was a complete lie, but she would rather die than have anyone here know the details of the life she left behind. _"Especially him…._ " She thought before mentally smacking herself, staring at the bottle of wine incredulously. Oh no, she _could not_ be rolling in her emotions right now, especially not for a dirty, smelly, rude _boy_. She quickly stood up, steadying herself on a nearby tree trunk.

"Uh, I gotta go" She hiccuped, corking the half empty bottle before disappearing into the night, leaving a half-tipsy Tuffnut with a slack jaw and a confused stare.

"Ugh, _women._ " He finally grumbled, pouting as he discovered his tankard empty. Today was just _not_ a good day.

Rotti stumbled into her hut, having uncorked the bottle halfway through the walk back. She groaned at the shelves, once overflowing with all the alchemical ingredients her cold little heart desired, now near-barren and practically frowning at her. She stripped down to nothing as Moongazer helped her heat up bathwater before she poured in the few measly vials of oil and perfumes she had left. The heady scent of spices and flowers filled the room, the hot water drawing the bad day out of her body. Moongazer flicked her tongue at her as she dipped her paws in the water, lamenting that she herself wasn't able to fit in the tub.

Rotti reached over to pat her snout. "I'll give you a good scrub tomorrow, girl. I'll even see if I can get the stuff to make that lavender oil you like." The dragon chirped at this, her forked tongue happily flicking in and out.

* * *

Rotti heard one word about the trade for Gustav that morning and immediately shut herself in her hut. She _was not_ in the mood for dealing with Gustav, whoever Dagur is, and the implications of what giving up the Dragon Eye means. She used the time alone to stitch some new leggings together, the thick black leather getting a lining of soft doeskin.

She almost pricked her finger as there was a knock at the door. She sighed, setting her leggings down and opening the door. She was still wearing her belt, so everything important was covered. Just her luck , Tuffnut was there and his eyes immediately darted to her bare legs. Her cheeks flushed pink and she sneered, rising a brow at him. He coughed awkwardly, handing her a huge bouquet.

"I'm _not_ giving you flowers, this is just all the stuff me and Ruffnut owe you from the drinking challenge we had the first night you were here. Thorston's don't skip out on debts." He said with a nervous edge to his voice. Rotti pulled some leather gloves on and took the bouqet from him, glancing at the red welts on his hands. She shook her head, setting the supplies down and grabbing a round bottle from a shelf.

"Give me ya hand." She rolled her eyes at his immediate reaction, but gently examined them when he gave them up. His palms were an angry red, radiating heat and sending a wave of phantom pain up her arms. Tuffnut winced as she poured the thin, bright red potion on his hands. It stung, but soon the pain went numb as the cooling gel took it's effects.

"Uh, thanks." He wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was used to Rotti being sarcastic, scathing, and even downright mean sometimes but kind? Never. "Well uh, I'm sure you wanna get back to, whatever you were doing." It took all his focus not to trip over his words.

"Yeah. Sewing." She crossed her arms, giving him an appraising look. _"Ooh, look who's turn it is to be nervous"_ She smiled to herself.

"Ooooh, so that's why you're not..." he quieted as he, for the first time in a while, thought about something before he said it. "Well, good luck with that. See ya!" And with that he was out of her doorway and on the zipline before Rotti could even blink. She shook her head, sorting all her new ingredients before finishing her leggings.

She posed in front of the mirror as she tried them on. Thicker than before, with more even stitching and a softer inside. But her smile turned upside down as she placed her hand on her stomach, the faintest blue glow most noticeable underneath her scar. She scowled at it in the mirror, and as if by magic, it dimmed until it was like it was never there.

* * *

She barely paid attention while Hiccup explained how Gustav was a double agent when they got back, but her heart practically leaped with joy when she learned he was going back to Berk after all. She'd gotten comfortable with business as usual on Dragon's Edge, and this disruption had stressed her out more than she antipicated. She flopped down on her bed when she got back to her hut, throwing some resin bits on the hot coal incense burner and joining Moongazer for a lovely afternoon nap.

Moongazer's heavy head rested near her riders back, but they were both comfortable. When she was sure Rotti was asleep, she peeked at her. Dragon's may not be as sentient as humans, but she had instinct and her instinct told her to be extra protective of this one. She nudged Rotti's stomach with her snout, hissing quietly at the faint blue glow that flared up before settling down again. She turned her head 360 degrees around in a quick room check before finally resting, forcing her wings down as they fidgeted nervously. Hopefully, she could get some real sleep.

* * *

Far to the north, a scuffed ink drawing of a younger Rotti Ice-Veins is pinned to a wall. A knife flies into it, stabbing into the wood behind the drawing's head and earning a sinister chuckle from the thrower. The voice is dark and rugged, and the hand that yanks the knife out of the wall is calloused and covered in equal amounts of scars and fine jewels.

"All good things to those who wait, my little snow wren..."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Wooh! I sure churned this chapter out. Honestly, I'll admit I can do better but this is kind of a dry spot plot wise (for both the Race to the Edge plot and Rotti's story). It's a little more fragmented than I'd like but there are a lot of different moments I wanted to get in here without filler paragraphs.**_ _ **I also want to thank everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this trainwreck! I'm really glad you guys like it ;u; Also, to address my sporadic updating schedule: I'm currently in the process of both looking for a job and trying to apply for college, so please forgive any long waits you might come across! If you feel it's been too long, or if you just want to talk about the story in general (i've got so much non-spoilery stuff on my mind I'd love to gush about, especially modern AU stuff!) shoot me a PM! Love you guys and thank you again!**_


End file.
